Turtle

We’ve spent the last few months researching and learning about starting a rabbitry. As you know, I’ve been doing some things to prepare us for hard times and to help us become self sufficient. Every month I have tried to set a little bit of money aside for adding foods to our emergency closet, or buying other odds and ends that keep that goal in mind. For instance, I bought a water purifier (Berkley Light) last month, I’m so proud of it. And this month I added some more foods and first aid supplies.

Next month, weather permitting, we’re going to start building our small rabbitry. We’re going to have 3 female rabbits, and 1 male. The kids all get to bond with their parent rabbit because they will be used for pets/breeding. It’s the babies that will be disappearing that I’m not sure will be easy to explain.??? The babies will be weened after a few months and then used for meat. How do you tell a child not to fall head over heels for the little baby rabbits!? I guess I could always tell them that I sold the babies because we didn’t have enough cages? Ughhh. I guess I have time to figure it out…

I’ve figured out that I cannot possible kill a rabbit, or any critter for that matter. So my job is going to be the skinner, gutter while Jeremy is the assasin. Are you grossed out yet? Don’t be. Everyone has to eat! And rabbit is very good for you. In addition, you can use the pelts to trade or make clothing with. Rabbit fur hats are wonderful. Yes, I have one. Don’t call PETA.

We were originally going to raise chickens. My great grandma apparently raised chickens and would use the meat for cooking and would pluck the feathers to refill her families bedding and pillows. But I was just going to use the chickens for eggs. That’s much easier, just eat the eggs and never have to slaughter an animal. But we’re not aloud to have yard birds in these here parts. Dangit. So no eggs.

We were talking with the kiddos about the rabbits this morning. I asked the kids what they thought they might name their rabbit. Jeremy has laid claim to the male rabbit and will call him “Conan.” Bella wants to call her rabbit, “Bella.” When I asked Noah what he would name his rabbit he said, “Blue.” I think he thought I was asking him what color his rabbit is going to be. Blue is a great name for a rabbit, even if the rabbit isn’t blue. And, finally, I asked Austin what he was naming his rabbit… “Retarded.” I told him that it was a terrible name, and in addition to being cruel and unusual, it was also politically incorrect. If he wanted to imply that his rabbit was “special”, he’d better name the rabbit “Developmentally Disabled” to be fair…….. Teenagers. Geesh. Anyhow, if I get my own rabbit down the road I will name him/her “Turtle.” Isn’t that cute?

Speaking of hard times and preparing for them… Is it getting bad in your area? The crime rate is rising unbelievably here, there is absolutely not ONE SINGLE building permit pulled in our County (which was BOOMING a few years ago), and the welfare lines are getting long. Every where I look there are “Going Out of Business” signs or businesses that closed suddenly with no warning at all. Jeremy’s friends are all unemployed and can’t find work. Many of them are having to travel long distances, leaving their families behind, to find work in other areas. Jeremy is lined up to do some excavation work on the land around the units he’s built, but when that’s done, there’s no more work (2 months?). Gah! And I’ve been doing some Grant Writing for the Children’s Museum because our funding for our new facility got cut (or postponed for 2 years… same difference). Problem is that everyone wants the few grants available, so it’s extremely competetive. It’s very disheartening, but is a post all by itself and I don’t have the heart to get into that right now. And I’m sure you don’t need help feeling yucky about money right now either. If butchering bunnies didn’t give you the sniffles, talking about the economy sure will.

Would you eat rabbit? If it’s possible to put aside how cute and fluffy rabbits are. How beautifully innocent and pure spirited they are. I mean, obviously if you’re a vegatarian you wouldn’t eat rabbit, but if you’re a meat eater. I used to be hugely against hunting animals. Especially since buying meat at the store is an option. I thought it was some weird testosterone/competition/entertainment/sport thing for men. I thought it was unnecessary, especially since you can buy your protein at WalMart. We’re not barbarians. Put your fargin gun down, grab your keys, and drive to Food Lion if you’re needing a steak.

But I’m starting to think differently. When you look at how tainted the meat is (hormones, antibiotics, etc), how unsafe foods are, how many recalls there are on all kinds of edibles, it is really crazy or cruel that people opt for finding their own food? I’m starting to think it’s crazy NOT to grow and hunt your own food. I don’t know, it’s debateable. What’s your opinion?

And that’s all I’ve got for now… Have a beautiful weekend!

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